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Self Storage Specialists Blog
 Hungry? If you live in the Ann Arbor area, there are so many delicious and unique restaurants to choose from for your next date night, local hangout, and more. Get your appetite ready, and check out this list of our favorite local Ann Arbor restaurants below!
The Top 5 Ann Arbor Restaurants
While Logan is located in Ann Arbor, it is far from what you’d expect of a college town restaurant. This restaurant started as a dream by its three owners, with the goal of creating a location where restauranteurs could stretch their creative wings. This contemporary and elegant restaurant features “New American” cuisine, which is a blend of French cooking techniques and influences of contemporary America.
The Standard Bistro & Larder is another local favorite. This restaurant is known for its local dry-aged meats, handmade pastas, fresh bread, and coffee to top off the meal. Throughout the year, the restaurant also hosts different events, and fundraisers.
On any list of the top Ann Arbor restaurants, you will always find Zingerman’s Delicatessen. This spot is not only a local favorite, but after catching media attention, many people travel from all over to try this famous restaurant. Whether you’re looking for a delicious corned beef sandwich, a vegetarian meal, or even a salad or desert, this restaurant has something for everyone.
Aventura is a tapas restaurant with a menu filled with fresh, fragrant and flavorful food. The dishes are smaller and designed to be shared, ideal for enjoying with friends and family members. This restaurant is vegetarian friendly, with many tasty snacks available regardless of your dietary preference or allergies.
Another local favorite, The Raven’s Club, serves delicious bar snacks, small plates, sandwiches, salads, desserts and more. Since this restaurant focuses on local vendors, the menu changes quite often.
Self Storage Specialists Has Storage Facilities in Ann Arbor, MI
Self-Storage Specialists strive to support the businesses surrounding our local storage facilities. Self-Storage Specialists has storage facilities in Ann Arbor, MI and the surrounding areas. Our storage facilities have both traditional and climate-controlled storage units available. With a variety of sizes available, including the 5×5, 5×10 and 10×10 storage unit, we are sure to have the perfect storage solution for you. Reserve your storage unit today!
 When renting with a self-storage facility most renters do not access their unit frequently, however, it isn’t uncommon to have a renter that chooses to do so. Whether you are a business owner storing your inventory and equipment, or a traditional renter simply looking to check in on your storage unit, it is essential your unit is properly organized. Organizing your storage unit for frequent access will help you save time, each time you visit. Interested in learning more? Try out these tips below!
7 Frequent Access Storage Unit Organization Tips
- Strategize the layout: In order to keep your storage unit organized, it is important to think before loading items inside. Spend time creating a map of where you want each category of item to go.
- Group your items into categories: When planning out the layout of your storage unit, try to group items you want in your storage unit into categories. For example, keep all clothes in one corner, and all documents in another.
- Make sure all boxes are labeled: While this step may seem simple, it is still very important. Before putting any box into your storage unit, make sure it is clearly labeled with a list of contents. It’s a good idea to label all 4 sides so regardless of which way the box is facing, you can still get a clear idea of what is inside.
- Prioritize items by location: If you will need the box of extra inventory more often than other items in the storage unit, keep it in the front. Items that are not needed as often can be moved to the back.
- Store larger items closer to the walls: Once the high priority items are identified for the front of your storage unit, plan on storing the larger items closer to your storage unit walls. Place any remaining smaller items in front of the larger items. This layout allows you to have a clear view of everything in your storage unit.
- Make path down the middle: If your storage unit is a 5×10 and bigger, create an aisle leading from the front of your unit to the back. This will help you to access the items in the back of your storage unit much easier.
- Consider vertical storage: One of the easiest ways to keep your storage unit organized is to add shelving. Shelving frees up space by preventing too many smaller items from cluttering the ground level.
Self Storage Specialists Have Storage Facilities in Detroit, Ann Arbor, Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo, MI!
We are proud to have storage facilities throughout Michigan, including in major cities such as Detroit, Ann Arbor, Grand Rapids, and Kalamazoo, MI. Our storage facilities offer convenient storage features, such as truck rentals, drive up units, as well as climate controlled storage units. Reserve your storage unit with Self Storage Specialists today!
 Fall is a great season for spending time with your family outdoors enjoying all that the season has to offer. The kids are back in school, the days are getting shorter, and fall is quickly approaching! Are you looking for a family friendly fall day? Read below for 4 different fall events in the Detroit, Ann Arbor, Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo area!
Fall Fun for Kids
Saturday and Sunday’s September 7th through the end of October
Wiard’s Country Fair is back for another year!
Activities to enjoy at the fair:
- Corn maze
- Giant slide
- Cider mill
- U-pick apples and pumpkins
- Apple canon
- Petting farm
- Miniature golf
If you are unable to make it to the Country Fair you can still enjoy many of the same things at Wiard’s. A few of the everyday activities include, u-pick apples and pumpkins, glass of cider, hayrides, finding your way through the corn maze, and so much more!
Weekends in October
Zoo Boo at the Detroit Zoo is a family friendly event for all to enjoy! Many different activities bring fun and excitement for all ages. Zoo Boo is a “merry-not-scary” event and is more than visiting your favorite zoo animals. Some of the activities you might enjoy, mimes, aerialists, superhero re-enactments, jugglers and stilt walkers, a corn maze, pumpkin smasher and haunted creatures.
September 27th through 29th
This year is the 43rd Annual Harvest Fest in Downtown Rockford! This event will feature a chili cook off, Classic Car Show, trick-or-treating, scarecrow contest, live entertainment, corn hole, food vendors, pumpkin decorating and so much more! This is the perfect event for all ages.
As the leaves start to change, enjoy the fall colors by doing the Pure Michigan Color Tour! Whether you want to bike, walk, or ride in a car during this tour, there is a path for you! Michigan is known for its beautiful fall colors, so don’t miss out on this experience!
Self Storage Specialists Has Storage Facilities in Detroit, Ann Arbor, Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids!
There really is nothing like fall in Michigan. We hope your family gets to enjoy everything the season has to offer this fall!
Self-Storage Specialists storage facilities are located throughout Michigan, including in the Detroit, Ann Arbor, Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo areas. Our storage facilities have a variety of storage unit sizes available for rent, including the 5×5, 5×10 and 10×10 storage facility. Reserve your storage unit today!
 Labor Day weekend is quickly approaching! During this long weekend, it is common to spend time cooking out, camping, and attending parades and community events with family members and friends. Are you still looking for something fun to do with your Labor Day weekend this year? We’ve got you covered! Read this blog for a list of exciting Labor Day events taking place all throughout Michigan!
Nearby Detroit and Ann Arbor Labor Day Events
August 28th to September 1st
The Saline Community Fair is back for another year! This event will feature many different fun activities including: a euchre tournament, a pie baking contest and auction, talent shows, a rodeo, and so much more! There will also be carnival rides, livestock, and farm animals.
August 29th to September 2nd
There are so many fun things to do at the Michigan State Fair! There will be a giant pumpkin contest, a baking contest, a cow made of butter, a dog performance, fireworks, live music, various food vendors, and so much more! This event is fun for the whole family!
West Michigan Labor Day Events
Monday, September 2nd
On Labor Day Monday, visit Ah-Nab-Awen-Park in downtown Grand Rapids for a day of fun! This event will feature free rides on the kiddie Ferris wheel, “Berry-Go-Round,” and jump house as well as face painting, ice cream, a penny throwing contest, food trucks, and more! There will also be live entertainment, an “American Made” car show, and work from local artists and crafters.
All year long
If you’re still looking for something fun to do, consider vising John Ball Zoo with your family! The John Ball Zoo is open all year long and offers exciting educational and informative events. At the zoo, visitors can see a number of different animals and exhibits.
Self Storage Specialists Have Storage Facilities in Michigan!
Self Storage Specialists have storage facilities all throughout Michigan, including in major cities such as: Detroit, Ann Arbor, Kalamazoo, and Detroit. Our storage facilities have convenient storage features including truck rentals, drive up units, indoor units, and they sell all of the packing, moving, and storing supplies you’ll need. With convenient sizes like the 5×5, 5×10 and 10×10 storage units available in both traditional and climate controlled, we are sure to have the perfect storage solution to fit all of your self-storage needs! Reserve your storage unit with Self Storage Specialists today!
 Are you ready for the new school year? Try out these 5 back to school tips to start the school year off on the right foot!
Back-to-School Tips for Elementary School Parents
- Exercise the brain: During the summer, kids can unfortunately lose a lot of the knowledge they had learned during the previous school year. In order to dust the cob webs off of the brain, encourage reading and writing during the weeks leading up to the new school year.
- Visit the school and meet the teacher: If the school has a Meet the Teacher Night, plan on attending with your child. Walking through the school and seeing where the cafeteria, gymnasium, office, and classroom are will help to ease nerves. When you and your child meet the teacher, ask him or her about the best means of communicating throughout the school year.
- Start your routine ahead of time: Going from a summer routine to a school routine can be a huge change for the entire family. The week before the first day of school, start practicing a back-to-school routine-set the alarms for earlier in the morning, make a breakfast that can be eaten on a school day, and even walk to the bus stop. Setting simple routines like this can help to shake the back-to-school jitters.
- Go shopping for school supplies: Shop for back-to-school supplies before the school year starts. This may not only help your kids to feel more excited for the new school year, it also can help them feel more prepared.
- Create a homework area in your home: Designate a space in your home as the homework area. This will not only help to promote healthy study and homework habits, but it will also limit distractions.
Stay Organized all School Year Long with a Storage Unit Rental!
With a busy schedule filled with soccer practice, dance rehearsals and cub scout meetings after school, it can be difficult to find time to organize the house. By the end of the week, cleaning and organizing it can be a full-blown project. One thing that has helped many families to stay more organized throughout the school year is renting a storage unit to store out-of-season clothing, sports equipment, and more. With less items clutter in your house, organization becomes a breeze.
Self Storage Specialists have storage facilities all throughout Michigan and in major cities such as: Grand Rapids, Ann Arbor, Kalamazoo, and metro Detroit. Our storage facilities offer a number of convenient storage unit sizes including 5x5s, 5x10s, and 10x10s. Reserve either a climate-controlled or a traditional storage unit with Self Storage Specialists today!
 Marie Kondo has truly built a decluttering empire with the intent of helping others organize their homes and spark joy in their lives. If you’ve ever watched Tidying Up with Marie Kondo or read either of her books, you may be intrigued by the KonMari decluttering process. Throughout her career, she has developed 6 rules to follow for a more organized life, and they are:
- Commit yourself to tidying up.
- Imagine your ideal lifestyle.
- Finish discarding first.
- Tidy by category, not by location.
- Follow the right order.
- Ask yourself if the item sparks joy.
Not that you know the rules, are you interested in learning more about the KonMari decluttering method? If so, read below!
4 KonMari Organization Tips
- Keep things that spark joy: One of Marie Kondo’s big principles is that everything you own should spark joy in your life. Never keep items that you feel obligated to keep but do not want to have. Everything you keep in your home should be something that makes you feel happy.
- Tidy all at once: According to Marie Kondo, when you break a tidying up project into smaller projects, you’ll be tidying up forever. Instead, tidy up all at once. Tackle the tidying up project over a weekend in which you have free time.
- Start with clothes: Ask each person in the house to gather up all of their items and put them into a pile. It can be surprising to see how much clothes we actually have! Next, sort through the large pile and determine what to keep, what to donate, and what to throw out.
- Learn a new folding method: The KonMari folding strategy is all about folding items into thirds so that each item is compact with the smallest amount of stress on the fabric. Additionally, when you fold using this method, it is easy to find items in your drawers.
Let Us Be Your Organization Experts!
We strive to offer you helpful tips for a more organized, home, office, and life. Often times, when a space is too cluttered, it’s either because you either have too many items in the space or not enough room for storing all your things. One way to avoid a cluttered home is to rent a storage unit!
Self Storage Specialists have storage facilities throughout Michigan and Ohio, and in major cities such as: Detroit, Ann Arbor, Grand Rapids, and Kalamazoo, Michigan. Our storage facilities have a variety of sizes of storage units available for rent including the popular 5×5, 5×10, and 10×10 sizes. Reserve a storage unit with Self Storage Specialists today!
 The summer is quickly winding down and before we know it, the school year will be starting again. For college freshmen, this means that it is almost time to move into a dorm. Transitioning from living with your family to sharing a small room with someone else you may not even know can be difficult. Thankfully, when you follow a few simple tips for living with a roommate, the transition may be easier than you expect.
Read these tips below!
How to Get Along with a Roommate in 5 Easy to Follow Tips!
- Get to know your roommate ahead of time: If you’ve been placed with a random roommate, it is helpful to get to know him or her ahead of time. As soon as you’ve been placed together, spend time talking to each other. If there’s going to be an issue with getting along, it’s better to know sooner rather than later.
- Set rules and boundaries in advance: Are you okay with your roommate borrowing clothes from your closet? If your high school friends visit from out of town, can they stay the night? Before moving in together, it is essential to set some rules and boundaries that you think are important.
- Determine who is bringing what: Purchasing items for a dorm is expensive. With this in mind, it is important to only buy what you need. Divide up who will be purchasing mutually-used items such as the area rug, TV, and coffee maker. This will not only prevent you from having duplicate items, it will also help contributions to be divided up equally.
- Go into it with the right mindset: It is important to go into your roommate agreement with the right mindset. While you obviously want to get along with one another, it isn’t necessary to be best friends. To make other friends, join clubs, groups, and organizations.
- Bring problems up as they arise: Is your roommate not respecting quiet hours or is he or she constantly using your stuff without asking? As soon as you start to notice a problem, it is important to bring it up Addressing issues early will help to prevent any problems from going from small to large.
Self Storage Specialists Have Student Storage Options!
Your first year of college is going to be great; this is a time of new experiences and a lot of personal growth. If you have a lot of belongings you are planning on bringing into your dorm room, it may be beneficial to consider renting a storage unit. Renting a storage unit can help to free up space in your dorm room by storing out of season clothing or unneeded college textbooks or furniture.
Self Storage Specialists have storage facilities in Detroit, Ann Arbor, Kalamazoo, and Grand Rapids near many colleges and universities. Our storage facilities have a wide variety of storage unit options available including the 5×5, 5×10 or 10×10 sizes. Make space in your dorm and reserve a storage unit with Self Storage Specialists today!
 During the summer, Michigan cities are filled with awesome festivals, events, and attractions. Are you looking for something fun to do this summer in Detroit, Ann Arbor, Grand Rapids or Kalamazoo? Read below!
Detroit and Ann Arbor Summer Events
Thursday, July 18th through Saturday, July 21st
The goal of the Ann Arbor Street Art Fair is to increase public knowledge and appreciation for fine arts and crafts. At this festival, visitors can enjoy original works of art, culinary treats, street performances, and sidewalk sales. There will also be live entertainment all weekend long on the Fountain Stage. Looking to keep your kids entertained? Bring them to the art activity zone for fun crafts!
Sunday, July 21st
Taco lovers unite! The Taco Showdown is back for another year and is better than ever. Included with the cost of the ticket, all visitors will get to sample (3) tacos from 15+ of the top Mexican restaurants throughout Michigan. More taco tickets can be purchased at any time. There will also be Luchadores, Mexican dancers, 12+ merchants, and more!
Friday, August 30th through Monday, September 2nd
The Detroit Jazz Festival is a tradition 40 years in the making. This festival celebrates Detroit’s rich jazz history through performances by more than 60 different performers on multiple stages. This event is free to all!
Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo Summer Events
Friday, August 23rd and Saturday, August 24th
The Breakaway Music Festival is making a stop at Belknap Park in Grand Rapids, Michigan! This event will feature an awesome lineup with many well-known names on both nights. In addition to the performers, there will also be a Silent Disco tent, food trucks, and other vendors. Tickets are available for purchase online!
Thursday, August 1st through Saturday, August 3rd
Ribfest is one of the original festivals held in downtown Kalamazoo and has been a tradition for 34 years. Proceeds from this event will help benefit Arc Community Advocates, who work with individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities. There will be national rock and country musical artists, fun activities for kids, and a contest for the Best Ribs in Kalamazoo.
Self Storage Specialists Have Storage Facilities in Michigan!
There’s never a shortage of fun things to do in Michigan during the summer! Self Storage Specialists strive to support the local events, festivals, and activities that take place in our surrounding communities.
Need a storage unit for an organization project, move, or something else? Self Storage Specialists have storage facilities all throughout Michigan, including in Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Detroit, and Ann Arbor. We have a variety of storage unit sizes available to rent including the 5×5, 5×10, and 10×10 units. Reserve your storage unit with Self Storage Specialists today!
 Moving to a new city is the start of a new chapter in your life. If you are either unfamiliar with it or don’t know many people there, moving to a new city can also be very intimidating. Are you looking for tips for making the best of your transition to your new city? Read this blog!
6 Things to Do When You Move to a New City
- Unpack ASAP: It is important to do whatever you can to make yourself feel comfortable in your new home, and this means unpacking as soon as you can. The sooner you get settled into your new home, the sooner you can start exploring. Additionally, having your space organized with your belongings will help to create a sense of normalcy.
- Find your local stops: Drive through your new hometown and look for your new grocery store, gas station, convenience store, and more. This will make it easier when you need to quickly find something on the go.
- Give it a year: Before stressing that moving was a mistake and looking for a one-way ticket back home, give yourself a year to get used to the city. It’s normal to second guess a big decision like this, and giving yourself a year to get used to the new city may be enough to make it feel like home.
- Join a group: Are you an avid runner or maybe a huge bookworm? Look for an organized group in your area to join. For information on groups in your area, check Facebook or other online resources.
- Say “yes” whenever possible: Whenever you just moved to a new city and are looking for new friends and new experiences, say “yes” as often as you can. If your coworkers are meeting after work for a bowling league, agree to meet up with them. If your neighbors are hosting a cookout, volunteer to join them.
- Explore: One of the greatest ways to get to know a new city is to explore it. Spend time walking the streets, exploring local hangouts, and finding new hotspots. When exploring the city, make sure you at least know your general location so you don’t wind up in a bad part of town.
Make Space in Your New Home with a Storage Unit Rental!
Looking for more storage in your new city? Self Storage Specialists have storage facilities in Ann Arbor, Detroit, Grand Rapids, and Kalamazoo, Michigan. Our storage facilities offer a wide variety of sizes of storage units including both traditional and climate-controlled options. Reserve a storage unit today!
At any of our Self Storage Specialists’ locations, we will gladly store your furniture, clothing, spare appliances, holiday decorations, and out-of-season sports equipment. While the list of items we can store in our storage units is extensive, there are still a few items that are prohibited. Stolen items and those that could either cause damage or be potentially dangerous to other tenants, their items, our staff, or to the property cannot be stored.
What Not to Put in a Storage Unit: 5 Prohibited Items
- Living in a Storage Unit: Many people wonder if they are able to live in their storage unit. Although the cost of living is always rising and this seems like a valid question, the answer is still no. A storage unit is not a safe environment in which someone can live, and, if you are caught living in your storage unit, you could face criminal charges.
- Housing Pets in a Storage Unit: Just like a storage unit isn’t a safe living environment for you, it also isn’t suitable for your pets. In addition to it being unfit housing for any animals, any food left for them can attract a whole array of critters, pests, and vermin. If you are caught keeping an animal in your storage unit, you could face potential animal cruelty and abuse charges.
- Explosives, Firearms, and Gun Powder: Storing any of these items in your storage unit pose a risk of injury to yourself, other tenants, our staff, and cannot be stored in a storage unit. A storage unit is not the stable environment these items need.
- Food: A storage unit is not a safe location for either your end-of-the-world or zombie apocalypse survival kit. Food left in your storage unit will attract vermin and pests, which can ruin both your items and your neighbors’ items. It is also important to never store items in boxes that once held food. While the food may be gone, the smell is not.
- Stolen Items: It is illegal to store stolen items in a storage unit. Self Storage Specialists is not responsible for any items that are found to be stolen.
Are You Interested in Renting a Storage Unit?
As you can see from the short list above, there are far more items that can be stored in a storage unit than items that cannot. Feel free to utilize a storage unit to clear out some much-needed space in your home by storing those seasonal items, extra furniture, and more. Are you interested in renting a storage unit with Self Storage Specialists? We have storage facilities all throughout Michigan and in Dayton, Ohio. If you have further questions about which items are allowed to be stored in a storage unit, either stop in or contact us.
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Hungry? If you live in the Ann Arbor area, there are so many delicious and unique restaurants to choose from for your next date night, local hangout, and more. Get your appetite ready, and check out this list of our favorite local Ann Arbor restaurants below!
